Locking device for conveyer pans



Jul} 22, 1930-, F, RD TZ 1,770,979

LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONVEYER PANS Filed Sept.8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 22, 1930. F. GERDETZ LOCKING DEVICE FOR GONVEYER FANS Filed Sept. 8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 least, andin doing so the'nutsof the'bolts Ayoke 40f substantially U-shape intrans- 7 Patented July 22,1930 r V 7 1,770,979

LOUIS F. GERDET Z, or PITTSBURGH, rnnnsynvnnin i LocKInGnEvicE ron convnYnnfrnns Applieation filed September s, 1928. ser aino. 304,781. This invention relates to an improvement In the accompanying drawingszf in locking devices for conveyer pans. :Figil 1S" t .Pa.1tl1l side. elevation of the in- The invention relatesto the art of rec1provention as applied to a conveyer of this type;

eating conveyers which are constructed of a F 1g. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view there- 5 series of pans arrangedend to end so as to through; r 7

form a chute, which conveyers'are used pri- Fig: 3 is atransverse sectional view through marily or principally in the coalmining 111- a pan, showing the invention in side eleva dustry, r i i tion'; r Heretofore it has been the practice to con- Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 nect the pans together with slightly" overof Fig. 3; c

lapped ends by means of bolts which pass Fig. 5 is atop plan View of the end of the through depending lugs carried by-the overyokeandthe clamps; and 1 lapped ends. The ends of the pans wouldnot Fig. 6 is aside elevation oft-he latter showbe constructed just the. same size because 1t mg the locking tool forthe clamps. l 5 was necessary to provide for this overlap. Thenumeral '1 'ndicates the pans which- 65 Conseq'ijiently,'the'pans were not reverslble are arranged end to endin slightly spaced and must be carefully kept in a definite relarelation, as shown in Fig. 2, and atthe abuttion to each other. Also, the overlapped ends ting ends they are provided with angle irons of the pans would permit the coal to travel 2 riveted or otherwisesecured thereto. As in only one direction therethrough. shown in- Figs. 1 and 2, the'co'nveyermaybe 7 At the'sametime, it is necessary, as the mounted upon a suitable cradle ofwell known mining of the coal progresses, to almost daily construction, which is designated generally more the conveyer, and invorder to'do this it by the numeral 3, to allow the reciprocating is necessary to uncouple a large part of it at or rocking action of the conveyor. 1

repeatedly become lost and time is consumed verse cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, fits in either finding the nuts or supplying new over and receives the outward flanges dot the ones. All of this consumes both time and maangleirons 2 and holds these flanges together, terial, which is wasted every timeit becomes which in turn holds the abutting ends of the necessary to make a change in the conveyer pans lfil'thell proper relation to each other. t i As shown in Figs; 3, {l and 5, the sides 6 The object of the present invention is to of the yoke 4: "at the outer'end of the latter simplify the construction of the locking decarrybolts 7 which e rtend transversely therevice between the pans and to eliminate all loss through, one end of each bolt having ahead of time and material in connecting the ends of 8 thereon and the opposite end being thread 8 the pans together and, at the sametlme, to ed as at 9 to IGCGIVG a nut 10. "A cotter-pin allow the material to be directed through the 11 passes through the threaded end of each conveyer in either direction, by reason of the bolt to preventthe removal or accidental disends of the pans being uniform in size and in placement of thejnut or oossible loss thereof.

perfect alignment with each other. i Clamps 12 are pivotarlymounted on the on V Thisis provided by arranging the pans bolts? and have hooked ends 13 adapted to with the ends thereofinalignment and'held hook over thefiarln'g edges of the panslj A in proper relation by means of the yoke, tool may move theseclanips into *proper which in turn is provided with clamps to hold posltlons over the edgesofthe pans by engag thevoke in its properrelation to the pans or 111g shoulders 15 on the back edges of the to liold the pans on the yoke." clamps, or may engageth'e'hooked ends i This s stem also permits ofsuspendingthe the clamps to remove the latter. from the pansand conveyer by m'eans of chains from edgesof the'pans. r

i above as well as allowingit to be supported The outer edges of the sides-Gare provided 60 upon the usual cradles, as'inaybe desirable. with grooves 16 therein to receiveribs 17- 1 0D formed on the inner sides of the clamps 12, so that whenever the bolt is tightened with the clamps in their interfitting relation over the edges of the pans, these ribs and grooves interflt with each other to maintain the clamps in their proper positions and against displacement. A flange 18 is formed on the lower edge of one of the clamps 12 to abut against a side of the bolt head 8 so as to prevent the bolt from turning when the nut is being tightened or released, thus allowing the latter to be accomplished by means of a single wrench, it not being necessary to hold both ends of the bolt.

A spacer 19 is fitted between the sides 6 at each end of the yoke 4 through which the bolt 7 extends, as shown in Fig. 4t, in order to hold the sides in properly spaced relation. The spacers 19 are provided with eyes 20 in the outer ends thereof adapted to receive the hooks 21, which may be attached to support ing chains in order to allow the reciprocating conveyers to be carried by chains instead of the cradles, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if so desired.

In using the invention to connect the ends of the pans together, the yoke 4 may be mounted on the cradle 3 in the proper relation and the pans brought into position so that the outer flanges 5 of the angle irons 2 may be dropped into the yoke 4 where they hold the ends of the pans in proper relation to each other. A slight space may be rovided between the ends of the pans W en so held, which quickly fills with coal dust and facilitates the connection of the pans together, as well as cushioning them during the reciprocation of the conveyer, and in this way providing a continuous unbroken surface in the conveyer which allows of the pans being reversed since the ends are all the same.

After the pans have been dropped into place in the yoke, the tool 14 may be used to turn the clamps 12 with the hooks 13 thereof over the flaring edges of the pans and the nuts 10 may then be tightened up to hold the clamps in this position, this being facilitated by the interfitting relation between the grooves 16 and the ribs 17.

It the conveyer is supported by chains or similar flexible devices, the spacers 19 may be turned up into the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, so as to receive the hooks of the chains, but if the conveyer is mounted on the cradles these spacers may be turned down, as shown in Fig. 1.

The cotter-pins 11 in the ends of the bolts preventthe loss of the nuts and likewise of time in coupling up the pans.

This in an entirely new way of attaching the ends of the pans in reciprocating conveyers together and eliminates loss of time and material in making the connections between the pans and at the same time provides a more secure and better connection, which. allows the material to be directed in either way along the conveyer and also allows the conveyer to be suspended by chains if desired instead of on the cradles usually employed.

I claim 1. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of the aligned ends of pans having flanges extending outwardly there from and an approximately U-shaped yoke fitted over the flanges for holding the ends of the pans in proper alignment, bolts eXtending through the opposite ends of the yoke, and clamps carried by said bolts and adapted to fit over the opposite edges of the pans for holding the yoke in its proper position over the'flanges.

2. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of the adjacent ends of pans, a yoke connected with said ends for holding them in proper relation and having the sides thereof in spaced relation, a bolt carried by the yoke, clamps pivotally mounted on said bolt for hooking over the edges of the pans to maintain the proper relation of the yoke therewith, and a spacer arranged between the sides of the yoke over the bolt and having an eye therein for receiving the supporting means.

3. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans, a yoke for connecting said pans together. a bolt carried by said yoke, clamps pivotally mounted on said bolt and adapted to hook over the edges of the pans to maintain the proper relation of the yoke therewith, and interfitting means between the sides of the yoke and the clamps for holding said clamps in their clamped positions when the bolt is tightened.

4. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans having outwardly extending projections connected therewith, a yoke adapted to receive and embrace said projections, and means con nected with an end of said yoke to hook over in edge of the pans to hold the yoke in posi- 5. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans having outwardly extending projections connected therewith, a yoke adapted to receive and embrace said projections to hold the ends together, and a hook connected with said yoke to hook over an edge of the pans to hold the yoke in position. i v

6. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans, a voke connecting said ends together, and a 00k connected with said yoke and adapted to hook over an edge of the pans to hold the pan and yoke in proper relation.

7. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans, a yoke connecting said ends together, a bolt connected with an end of the yoke, and a clamp carried by said bolt and adapted to fit over an edge of the pan to hold said pan and yoke in proper relation.

8. In a conveyer of the character. described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans, a yoke connecting said ends together, bolts connected with the opposite ends of the yoke, and clamps carried by saidbolts and adapted to hook overedges of the pans forholding said pans and yoke in proper'relation.

9. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends or pans having outwardly extending projections connected therewith, a yoke adapted to receive and embrace said projections, means connected with the yoke and adaptedto engage the pans for holding the yoke in its proper position over the projections, and locking means for holding said last-mentioned means against disengagement with the pans.

10. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of pans having flanges thereon, a yoke adapted to receive and embrace the flanges, clamps connected with the yoke and'adapted to engage the pans for holding the yoke in its proper position over the flanges, and locking means for holding the, clamps against disengagement with the pans.

11. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of adjacent ends of" pans having outwardly extending flanges thereon, a yoke extending from one side of the pans to the other and having sides joined together at their outer edges and embracing the flanges to hold the pans together, and means for holding the sides of the yoke in proper relation and against spreading.

12. In a conveyero'f the character described, the combination of aligned ends of pans having outwardly extending flanges on the outer sides thereof, an approximately U- shaped yoke having sides joined together at their outer edges, andembracing the flanges to hold the ends of the pans together, bolts extending through the sides of the yoke, and

means in the outer ends of the bolts for hold- LOUIS F. GEBDETZ. 

